Sargon

After Chafitz teamed up with Applied Concepts, they recruited Dan and Kathe Spracklen who were already renowned of their Sargon programs. Improved with the help of Terry Fredrick[11], Sargon appeared in 1979 as Chafitz Sargon 2.5 MGS module [12], and in 1980, the Chafitz ARB Sargon 2.5[13] with a 6502 processor was launched to became a milestone for electronic chess computers and starts the era of sensory board chess computers.

Chafitz Experience

Kathe and Dan Spracklen on their experience with Chafitz and Applied Concepts, from their Oral History [14]:

Kathe Spracklen: And it was after Sargon III was created. They saw Sargon 2.2, and then later 2.5, they used on a program called the- they had something called the Boris Chess Machine. Actually, it was a multi-purpose game machine, and they had ...

Danny Spracklen: That wasn’t Fidelity though. That was Applied Concepts

Kathe Spracklen: Okay. Pardon me. Yes.

Danny Spracklen: Yes. Applied Concepts. They were a Texas-based company, and they came out with the Boris in a box, originally. And then they came out with a modular game system. And that had our Sargon 2.5 program on it.

Danny Spracklen: And that was before we became associated with Fidelity.

Danny Spracklen: Yes, it was scary. So. And then when things didn’t go really well with Applied Concepts - they didn’t come through for us, like they had promised - didn’t sell as many ...

Danny Spracklen: Well, they didn’t sell as many, and then they got in a lawsuit with their distributor, Chafitz. And actually, our contract was with Chafitz, and they were the people that marketed the product. The people that actually built the thing were Applied Concepts. Those two guys got in it, and so the whole thing kind of just fell apart. And eventually Applied Concepts just sold off all their units and kind of went out of the business.

Kathe Spracklen: Yes. And we essentially got nothing for it. So this risk, that Dan took, leaving his job to develop this.

Danny Spracklen: We got a little bit, but not nearly what we had thought we’d get.

Danny Spracklen: So, that’s about the time we started looking at Fidelity again. We got in contact with Sidney Samole, who was the President of the company, and he said, “Well, come out and see us and bring your- what you got out there and show it to us.” And so we got on a plane and flew out to Miami, and showed off our program to him. And they had their chief engineer, Ron Nelson, look at it, and they were impressed. And so they offered us a big contract, basically, to go to work for them, basically, fulltime. And we didn’t have to go to Miami. We could stay in San Diego.

Arleen and I like to say we've come full circle. We obviously introduced a large variety of products which are commonplace today. Integrity, responsibility and our love for nature has just compelled us to do the right thing. When we saw how much electronic equipment was being discarded carelessly, it was shocking how it was hurting the environment and it was evident that the opportunity was there to be at the beginning of a new business wave. It gives us a chance to give back. Some of these products we helped create and we want to make sure that they don't hurt the environment.